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''The Tracey Ullman Show'' is an American television variety show starring Tracey Ullman. It debuted on Fox on April 5, 1987, the network's second original primetime series to air following '' Married... with Children'', and ran until May 26, 1990. The show was produced by
Gracie Films Gracie Films is an American film and television production company founded by James L. Brooks in 1986. The company is primarily responsible for producing its long-running flagship animated series ''The Simpsons'', as well as the films ''Big'', ...
. The show blended
sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and i ...
with musical numbers and dance routines, choreographed by Paula Abdul, along with animated shorts. The format was conceived by creator and executive producer
James L. Brooks James Lawrence Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is an American director, producer, screenwriter and co-founder of Gracie Films. His television and film work includes ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', ''Taxi'', ''The Simpsons'', '' Broadcast News'', ''As G ...
, who was looking to showcase the show's multitalented star. Brooks likened the show to producing three pilots a week. Ullman was the first British woman to be offered her own television sketch show in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The show is also known for producing a series of shorts featuring the Simpson family, which was later adapted into the longest-running American scripted primetime television series, ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
''. ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' was the first Fox primetime show to win an Emmy Award, winning a total of 10 over its run. '' Rolling Stone'' ranked ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' as the 25th-best sketch comedy show in its "40 Greatest Sketch-Comedy TV Shows of All Time" list.


Development

British actress, comedian, singer and former dancer Tracey Ullman was encouraged to try to break into American television by her husband, British producer
Allan McKeown Allan McKeown (21 May 1946 – 24 December 2013), was a British television and stage producer. Early life McKeown was born in Ealing, London on 21 May 1946. His parents Edith Mabel (née Humphries) and Albert Victor McKeown moved first to Hack ...
, who was looking to station himself in the United States. Ullman, who was already a household name in her native England, had already been making the rounds in the US promoting her film and music career in the early 1980s. Unlike in England, Americans were not aware of her comedy background outside of humorous appearances on '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' and ''
Late Night with David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production compan ...
''. Ullman already had three British comedies under her belt, garnering her awards and accolades. "I didn't believe there was anything above ''
Webster Webster may refer to: People *Webster (surname), including a list of people with the surname *Webster (given name), including a list of people with the given name Places Canada *Webster, Alberta * Webster's Falls, Hamilton, Ontario United Stat ...
'' standard
n America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Ca ...
I was wrong." Her British agent put together a compilation of her work and began circulating it around Hollywood. Her tape landed in the lap of Craig Kellem, vice president of comedy at Universal Television. "I could not believe my eyes. It was just about the most extraordinary piece of material I'd seen in a long time." He wanted production on a series to begin immediately for her. '' Saturday Night Live'' scribe and creator of CBS's '' Square Pegs'',
Anne Beatts Anne Beatts (February 25, 1947 – April 7, 2021) was an American comedy writer. Early life Beatts was born in Buffalo, New York, to Sheila Elizabeth Jean (Sherriff-Scott) and Patrick Murray Threipland Beatts. She has described her parents as " ...
was hired to write the pilot. Universal liked the script; Ullman reportedly threw her hands up in the air, hating it. Recalling the project: "We'd just hit on an idea, then some white-haired executive – very, very important – would come in from the race track and say, 'I don't like that idea. I think Tracey should be a caring person. I think there should be a kid in this. Now, I'm just pitching here. I don't know if this is funny. But I think Tracey should love this kid and maybe there's a moment where she tells the kid something about life.' And I'd say, "Look – I don't want to work with little kids being cute who I eventually adopt'." Ullman's new agent, Martha Luttrell sent her tape to James L. Brooks, who had a deal with Fox. Fox, dubbed America's "fourth network", was looking to create its own brand of original primetime programming. Brooks was bowled over by Ullman's material. "I saw original talent, and how often does that happen to you?" "I started showing er workto people like you'd show home movies." "I was just startled by the size of the talent. I got chills." Ullman explained to Brooks her situation at CBS and the fact that she was now pregnant. Brooks convinced her to get out of it, and after she had her baby, they would do a show together. Brooks felt that a sketch show would best suit her assets (acting, singing, and dancing). "Why would you do something with Tracey playing a single character on TV when her talent requires variety? You can't categorize Tracey, so it's silly to come up with a show that attempted to." To ensure that she was well-versed in American comedy, Brooks began sending her tapes of American sitcoms and variety shows to watch and study. Ullman also began visiting and spending time at the
Museum of Television & Radio The Paley Center for Media, formerly the Museum of Television & Radio (MT&R) and the Museum of Broadcasting, founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, is an American cultural institution in New York with a branch office in Los Angeles, dedicated to t ...
. "After I made he 1985 film'' Plenty'', I thought it was sad that everyone left London to go home to Hollywood. Thought I'd join 'em. ..I thought of myself as a Peter Sellers type. No one does American accents better than him. Look at ''
Dr. Strangelove ''Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'', known simply and more commonly as ''Dr. Strangelove'', is a 1964 black comedy film that satirizes the Cold War fears of a nuclear conflict between the Soviet Union and ...
'' and '' Lolita''". As one critic noted, Sellars had American director
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
as his visionary and Ullman would get American television and film director James L. Brooks, the man behind such hit television shows as '' The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', '' Taxi'', and ''
Rhoda ''Rhoda'' is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns starring Valerie Harper that originally aired on CBS for five seasons from September 9, 1974, to December 9, 1978. It was the first spin-off of ''The Mary Ty ...
'', and the films ''
Terms of Endearment ''Terms of Endearment'' is a 1983 American family comedy-drama film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel of the same name. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny ...
'' and '' Broadcast News''. "I came to America in 1985 and James made me stay. If I had a mentor like him in Great Britain, I would've stayed there." "Variety hadn't been done for sometime and we wanted to do a show that would allow me to do the things I like to do and can do," stated Ullman in 1987. "I think, literally, the word unique and mean it," said Brooks in regards to Ullman's talent. "We're so obsessed with comparisons. The only one I could even think of that comparing her to is Peter Sellers – he's the only one you can mention. He could do a variety of Americans. And then you have to add that Tracey sings and dances." The key to getting Ullman ready for primetime was "assembling the right people" according to Brooks. Brooks, along with co-executive
Jerry Belson Jerry Belson (July 8, 1938 – October 10, 2006) was a writer, director, and producer of Hollywood films for over 40 years. Career Belson's writing credits include the Steven Spielberg films ''Always'' and ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'', ...
,
Ken Estin Ken Estin is an American television producer and screenwriter. He has worked on '' Taxi'' and ''Cheers'' and co-created '' The Tracey Ullman Show'' with James L. Brooks''.'' In 1982 Ken won an Emmy Award for Best Writing in a Comedy Series for th ...
, and
Heide Perlman Heide Paula Perlman (born September 22, 1951) is best known for her work as a television script writer. Perlman began work as a writer on the sitcom ''Cheers'' from 1982 through 1986; since then she has worked as a writer, producer and/or story ...
, went on a retreat in Northern California to think through the show. "We wanted to tell a story, to be involved in character. We did not want to do spoofs or takeoffs. You define a show by what you don't want want to do as well as by what you do. We rushed on the air and have been finding the show while we're on the air. You lose a lot of sleep that way, but it's great. Now, we have five or six characters that we repeat from time to time, and new ones are candidates for repetition." When it came to Fox, Brooks stated, "It was helpful for us to do the show without any preconceived context. Not only were we new, but so was Fox. There was no notion of something to fit into." Fox was reportedly backing the show with nearly $1,000,000 per broadcast. The series landed an initial 26-episode commitment deal, unheard of for a television comedy; Fox ordered a further 30 episodes in October 1987. Describing the show proved difficult; creator Ken Estin dubbed it a "skitcom". An array of original and diverse characters was created for Ullman to perform. Extensive makeup, wigs, teeth, and body padding were used, sometimes rendering her completely unrecognizable. One original character created solely by Ullman back in Britain was uprooted for the show: long-suffering British spinster Kay Clark. Kay was based on a real woman who worked in a
Midlands The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Mercia, Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in ...
bank that Ullman kept in touch with long after leaving Britain for the United States. "Kay" would ask her about Hollywood on the telephone; Ullman would subsequently do the voice she heard on the other line to her dog. She had been obsessed with spinsters ever since she was a small child, and kept a mental file on them. She never saw "Kay" and imagined what she looked like. ''Tracey Ullman Show'' costume designer Jame Ruhm suggested a drooping bust and cellulite-covered hips for the character. Ruhm created a costume complete with "hydraulic pistons". "Tracey is really, really interested in what her characters look like," revealed Ruhm. "She is constantly going around collecting pictures of people and coming to me and saying, 'I want to do a character dressed like this!' I file that in my memory, and then we'll get a script and I'll say, 'That character that you wanted to do, can we use it on this?' She'll say, 'Yeah!' And we'll go." "It's a real thrill to me that someone like Kay can be famous in America." For other characters, she drew upon people she either knew or celebrities for inspiration. "I based one character on Maggie Smith, which the script supervisor suggested. I remember her in ''
California Suite ''California Suite'' is a 1976 play by Neil Simon. Similar in structure to his earlier ''Plaza Suite'', the comedy is composed of four playlets set in Suite 203-04, which consists of a living room and an adjoining bedroom with an ensuite bath, in ...
'' saying, 'Well, I don't care if I didn't win the fucking Oscar.'... It sounded good. It made me laugh, and then I felt that I could do the character." She based the character Francesca on a neighbor, an awkward teenaged girl, who would come to visit her in her kitchen and would sheepishly stand in the corner. "I wanted to portray painful adolescence, but not an adolescent that was spoiled. I'd seen so many that were just, 'Like I really want to go to the movies, and you're totally stupid.' I didn't want to play a horrible kid." Ullman believed in progressing the characters, adamant that they didn't stagnate. "You have to advance the characters ..you have to find new situations for them ..They have to do something or say something or grow as people. And they have to be unusual." Like Kay, another character created and performed by Ullman first for British television ('' Three of a Kind'') and then adapted for the Fox show was impoverished housewife Betty Tomlinson. Producers decided to add animated segments when they had trouble figuring out a way to end one sketch and go into the next. They had considered talking animals, specifically a talking bear. "I don't know why we were so into a bear," explained Ken Estin. "Nobody was in love with that idea, but we just couldn't think of how else to do it. In most variety shows, it was just sketches that were so short that they didn't have to worry about from going from one to the next. Nobody had ever really done this before." Estin was given with a drawing of ''
Life in Hell ''Life in Hell'' is a comic strip by Matt Groening, creator of ''The Simpsons'', '' Futurama'', and '' Disenchantment'', which was published weekly from 1977 to 2012. The strip features anthropomorphic rabbits and a gay couple. The comic covers ...
'' by Matt Groening from
Richard Sakai Richard Sakai (born January 28, 1954) is an American television and film producer. He is best known for his work on the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', for which he is one of the original producers. In 1997, Sakai was nominated for an Academy ...
. "It was very different. It was smart. It was unusual. It was drawn poorly, which I thought added the charm ..I said, 'What if we have this guy do these little cartoons in between the scenes? Is that possible? Does anybody like that idea?' They all said they liked the idea. This is how Matt ended up being our guy." James L. Brooks was also familiar with Groening's work.
Polly Platt Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly (a diminutive of Mary). Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina, Polona, Paula or Paulina. People named or nicknamed Polly Female *Caresse Cr ...
, producer of his film ''
Terms of Endearment ''Terms of Endearment'' is a 1983 American family comedy-drama film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel of the same name. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny ...
'' had given him a cartoon called "Success and Failure in Hollywood" drawn by Groening as a gift. Platt suggested that he do a special on the characters. Heide Perlman found another artist to do animated segments – M.K. Brown, who worked for '' National Lampoon''. She agreed to do a cartoon based around a female psychiatrist, Dr. N!Godatu. Producers stopped hearing from Groening when Fox wanted to take over ''Life in Hell'' merchandising as part of his deal, resulting in his passing on the project. Estin asked Sakai to ask Groening if he had any characters that he would be willing to allow Fox to merchandise. Groening said that he did have other characters and would send them over for consideration. "Well, two, maybe three days after I spoke to Richard, Matt sends us a drawing of the Simpsons exactly as–well, not exactly–almost exactly as they are. Anyhow, everybody said, 'Fine. That's fine. We like them.' And Matt made his deal with Fox." Eventually, producers found that Groening's work suited the show better than Brown's and her segments were no longer used. Tracey Ullman was approached to do one of the voices of the Simpsons, but with her already spending up to three hours in the makeup chair, adding voice-over work was not feasible. Fellow cast member Julie Kavner then agreed to do it. Groening approached Ullman sporadically about doing a guest voice for the shorts, but with her heavy workload, she never had the time. Early reports regarding the show's premise were: The focal point would be Ullman starring in one, 12-minute-long "playlet", a shorter sketch, some music, and a weekly lecture from Harry Shearer. The show would start with no pilot and a 26-episode commitment, and would be produced by Brooks along with some of the top writers from ''
Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...
''. Shearer's weekly lecture never materialized. When the time came to go out and promote the show, Fox only allowed Ullman to tour Los Angeles and New York. In 1988, she insisted that she be allowed to tour Middle America. Never a fan of dialect coaches, this promotional tour would allow her to have ample opportunity to do some character study. "I want to see America a bit, I really do. I've only been to LA and New York, and they make very disparaging remarks about Middle America there. I mean, Des Moines, Iowa, is the place network executives always talk about, like, "Would they like this in Des Moines?' They think you just want ''Facts of Life'' and ''She's the Sheriff'', that you really want that type of television, and I don't really believe that you do. There's no intelligence, no truth in anything like that. I think you want something a bit smarter. ..We take pictures everywhere n this promotional tour we're taping people's voices. I'm taking it all in, and it's great. Some journalist once said that I was a 'social satirist,' and I thought, 'That sounds quite intelligent, doesn't?' So that's what I'm doing, I'm meeting people from a social satirist's point of view." Whenever she was stuck on particular voice or accent, she would open a phone directory. "If I wanted to do somebody from Brooklyn, I would call the library in Brooklyn and listen to their voice and tape them surreptitiously so they didn't know." Also helping her in her quest for accents was the show's staff. When she had to find a Brooklyn accent distinctive from the Queens accent she used for her character, United States postal worker Tina, she had the show's staff make a long compilation tape of genuine Brooklyn accents (recordings from radio stations and even randomly placed phone calls placed to random Brooklynites). Ullman would also call car dealerships in different parts of the country pretending to be interested in buying a car just to hear how the people there spoke.


Production


Casting

Dan Castellaneta, a relative unknown, was asked to read for the show after he was spotted by Ullman at Chicago's
The Second City The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre op ...
. Castellaneta's portrayal of a blind man who wants to be a comedian brought her to tears instead of making her laugh. He gave up the opportunity to appear in the short-lived sitcom version of the film ''
Nothing in Common ''Nothing in Common'' is a 1986 American comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall. It stars Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason in what would be Gleason's final film role; he was suffering from cancer during the production and died less than a yea ...
'' in which he appeared so as to star in the Ullman show. "Tracey always says, 'You're so lucky, Dan. You can always go back to ''Nothing in Common''," joked Castellaneta in a 1988 interview. Describing the show, Castellaneta stated, "Essentially what dictates it is that there are no parodies and even if it's an unusual situation, Tracey and (executive producer) Jim Brooks try to keep things as believable and real. You've got to be honest." He would continue to stay true to his Second City philosophy when playing comedy and characters. "Don't ever do what's expected. Always try to find a different way of doing something. ...Always play to the top of your intelligence. A character should be as smart as you are. And if the character isn't a smart as you are, you can't make a comment about it, you can't make fun of the character." Castellaneta felt that audiences could see right through a character that wasn't done honestly and that ''The Tracey Ullman Shows audience were both pretty demanding, as well as intelligent. "They're people who like something different, they're certainly an intelligent audience. And they're an audience that isn't as easily offended as other people might be." Actress Julie Kavner had co-starred in Brooks' spin-off series to '' The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', ''
Rhoda ''Rhoda'' is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns starring Valerie Harper that originally aired on CBS for five seasons from September 9, 1974, to December 9, 1978. It was the first spin-off of ''The Mary Ty ...
'', starring Valerie Harper. Kavner played Harper's younger, socially awkward sister Brenda, a role for which she won an Emmy Award. Kavner was at the top of the list of people Brooks wanted to be part of the show. Brooks on Kavner: "When somebody's intrinsically funny – you know, in-their-bones funny – they never have to work at (being funny), so they're free to work on other things. We were all nuts about her work. She was the person we most wanted to work with Tracey." Actor Sam McMurray read for a guest spot on the show playing William, lover of 13-year-old valley girl Francesca's (Ullman) father. McMurray recalled his casting: "The first Francesca sketch, they said, 'Play the guy not so gay.' And I said 'I disagree.' I had a big mouth then -— still do. I said, 'I think he’s more the woman. I think he's more out there.' So I read and I read it big, and they cast me. It was just a one-off, and then we were on hiatus. I did the one week, and I had a friend coincidentally who used to write, a guy named Marc Flanagan, and he was on the show as a staff guy. He called me up and said, 'Did they call your agent?' I said, 'No, why?' He said, 'They wanna make you a regular.'" McMurray, who did not become a full-fledged cast member until the sixth episode, did not find himself feeling terribly comfortable at first with the show. McMurray: " e social dynamic of the show is an odd one. I spoke with (executive producer) Jim Brooks about this later and I said, 'You know, it's like we're all square pegs, aren't we?' And he said, 'Yeah,' and that the same thing occurred on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. Everybody was from a different discipline on that show, – somebody had been from sitcoms, somebody came from the stage, and somebody had been a stand-up comic, and yet whatever the dynamic that was forged from it, it's singular and it works." The last to be cast was dancer Joseph Malone. He was originally hired for a guest shot– acting as a cop who also danced with a possible
jumper Jumper or Jumpers may refer to: Clothing *Jumper (sweater), a long-sleeve article of clothing; also called a top, pullover, or sweater **A waist-length top garment of dense wool, part of the Royal Navy uniform and the Uniforms of the United State ...
on a ledge, which led to him becoming a series regular. He had worked with
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
,
Lily Tomlin Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the varie ...
, and
Barbara Mandrell Barbara Ann Mandrell (born December 25, 1948) is an American country music singer and musician. She is also credited as an actress and author. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, she was considered among country's most successful music artis ...
. The show now had its cast. During the 1987–1988 season, Julie Kavner asked to be let out of her contract to be able to concentrate on making movies; Kavner had been living in New York while ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' taped in Los Angeles. Actress
Anna Levine Anna Thomson is an American actress known professionally as Anna Levine. She was also credited as Anna Levine Thompson and Anna Thomson. Thomson was orphaned at an early age and raised by her adoptive parents in New York City and France. She trai ...
was subsequently cast, with Kavner putting in special appearances.


Writing

James L. Brooks knew the importance of good writers, and quickly assembled a team for the show, most notably, Heide Perlman and Ken Estin of ''Cheers'' fame. Estin also worked on Brooks's ''Taxi''. The pair would also act as executive producers. Also joining the team was Jerry Belson; he also acted as executive producer. Belson had written for such television comedies as '' The Dick Van Dyke Show''. Belson was the writer to whom Ullman warmed immediately; he was always in her corner. In an interview with '' The Nerdist Podcast'', she recalled Belson saying, "'Leave her alone, Jim, she's tired.' ..He was one of those funny writers hoif you said that you didn't like a joke in the room, he'd say, 'What is this, Nazi, Russia?'" When they won an Emmy, Belson's response was, "This is my first Emmy in color."
Sam Simon Samuel Michael Simon (June 6, 1955 – March 8, 2015) was an American director, producer, writer, animal rights activist and philanthropist, who co-developed the television series ''The Simpsons''. While at Stanford University, Simon w ...
, like Estin, wrote for ''Taxi'', as well as executive produced the show. Brooks discovered writer Marc Flanagan after watching a piece performed by Meryl Streep and
Kevin Klein Kevin R. Klein (born December 13, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the New York Rangers and the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the second round, 37th overal ...
at a benefit. He asked to speak to the writer and kept him in mind when he worked on the ''Ullman'' show as writer and producer. '' SCTV'' writers Dick Blasucci and Paul Flaherty wrote and co-produced as well. For each show, a table read would take place on Monday mornings in the presence of writers and producers. Not unusually, rewrites could go past midnight. What worked in the writers room would sometimes fall flat once in the hands of the actors. The best readings were the result of numerous rewrites. "I love cracking a run-through," said Ullman in 1989. "It's like a drug. If I can get them looking at me and respecting me, and thinking, 'She's done it!' – it's the best feeling.'" But she knew that the only performance that truly counted was the final one recorded in front of a live studio audience. "You just gotta pray you hit that happy, energetic mood on Friday." The cast rehearsals would take place into lunch and dinner hours, usually under the tutelage of director Ted Bessell. Around 3:30 pm each day, writers and producers, led by Brooks and Belson, would arrive for a run-through. They would observe, shout out suggestions, make additions and subtractions, and work out any kinks in the production. The show would then be ready to tape by Friday at 7:00 pm. One "writer" frequently credited on the show, Bonita Carlisle, was actually a '' nom de plume'' chosen by the writers' room indicating that the sketch had been a group effort. Guest stars such as Steve Martin and
Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...
also got heavily involved in their sketch's writing, as well. While the Fox network was liberal when it came to the material it would allow the show to put on, by 1989, after controversy stemming from '' Married... with Children'', the network's standards and practices department began monitoring the scripts and kowtowing to advocating groups. A sketch consisting of a nun (played by Ullman), a priest, and last rites was pulled midproduction. Producers were given the option of either watering down the skit or not doing it at all. Ullman had no problem with the piece. Brooks responded: "They're smart enough to know that they can't have a bland network that responds every pressure and be successful ... If we really believe a piece should be broadcast, then we will take a stand. We do care about doing characters accurately and in them taking a comic view of life, but when censorship interferes with that, we've got to scream."


Format

A typical episode of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' consists of two or three sketches (or
playlets A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between characters and intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright. Plays are performed at a variety of levels, from ...
) featuring Tracey Ullman playing an array of characters, along with her supporting cast of
Julie Kavner Julie Deborah Kavner (born September 7, 1950) is an American actress. Best known for her voice role as Marge Simpson on the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', Kavner first attracted notice for her role as Brenda Morgenstern, the younger ...
,
Dan Castellaneta Daniel Louis Castellaneta (; born October 29, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for voicing Homer Simpson on the animated series ''The Simpsons'' (as well as other characters on the show such as Abraham "Grampa" ...
,
Sam McMurray Sam, SAM or variants may refer to: Places * Sam, Benin * Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso * Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso * Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso * Sam, Iran * Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place People and ficti ...
, Joseph Malone, and in season three,
Anna Levine Anna Thomson is an American actress known professionally as Anna Levine. She was also credited as Anna Levine Thompson and Anna Thomson. Thomson was orphaned at an early age and raised by her adoptive parents in New York City and France. She trai ...
. The final sketch of the night usually includes a musical or dance number featuring Ullman either solo or with other members of the cast. Paula Abdul was responsible for choreographing all of the show's dance routines. Interstitial cartoon shorts ("Dr. N!Godatu", "The Simpsons") were featured before and after each commercial break. The show's producers toyed with the format during the show's first season. A variety act was added and then scrapped by the third episode. Ullman began opening the show as herself by episode five; this was dropped altogether by season three in favor of an elaborate opening title sequence. The final segment of all four seasons has Ullman, clad in a pink robe, delivering a closing monologue to the studio audience before ending the show with her signature catchphrase, "Go home! Go home!" and dancing as the credits roll. She chose the phrase "Go home," because she could not think of anything clever for the ending. Her closing monologue is, "Oh, you got sore bums. Go home!"


Opening title sequence

George Clinton was hired to write and perform the show's
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mid ...
-infused theme song, "You're Thinking Right". Brooks hired animation and graphic-design company Klasky Csupo to design the show's title sequence. It would become the studio's big break. In addition to handing the show's opening, they also produced the show's animated bumpers. The opening title sequence in seasons one and two followed a brief introduction by Ullman to the studio audience. For season three, however, the opening was scrapped, and in its place, a live-action farce was used; Ullman pulls up to the 20th Century Fox lot in her car and hits a pedestrian. She attempts CPR in front of onlookers and revives her victim. She then rushes into the studio and meets George Clinton; a person tries to get her opinion on a costume; Paula Abdul attempts to go over choreography with her. Next, she visits the makeup room and greets her fellow castmates – this includes
the Simpson family The Simpson family are the fictional characters featured in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of married couple Homer and Marge and their three children, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The ...
. She then looks at a pushpin board, and stills of that week's sketches are posted. Season four featured a title sequence similar to the first two seasons.


Ending

After four seasons, Ullman decided to end the show, stating that she was "constantly challenged and happily tortured by a unique group of people." She also thanked Fox "for letting somebody no one ever heard of do a show on a network that didn't exist." Brooks stated that ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' was "the hardest work any of us ever did, and we would have continued forever if she had wanted us to ..I'm just glad I appreciated it as it was happening and not just in retrospect ... Tracey is one of the most talented people alive." The show earned Fox its first Emmy Award, racking up a total of 13 nominations, and garnering four wins, by the end of its run. Brooks did not mince words when in 1992 that Fox chairman,
Barry Diller Barry Charles Diller (born February 2, 1942) is an American businessman. He is Chairman and Senior Executive of IAC and Expedia Group and founded the Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting. Diller was inducted into the Television Hall of ...
, was announced to be stepping down. "I thought ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' should have stayed on as long as she wanted to do it." Diller had been dragging his feet in renewing the show. Tired of waiting, Ullman decided to pull the plug herself. When Ullman and the show won at the 1990 Emmy Awards, newspaper critics hailed: "Tracey Ullman Gets Last Laugh." Later, Ullman admitted that she would have liked an additional year to try out all the characters she wanted to play. She was proud, though, of what they achieved: "no compromises, no giving up, always wanting the best."


Cast and crew


Cast

* Tracey Ullman *
Julie Kavner Julie Deborah Kavner (born September 7, 1950) is an American actress. Best known for her voice role as Marge Simpson on the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', Kavner first attracted notice for her role as Brenda Morgenstern, the younger ...
*
Dan Castellaneta Daniel Louis Castellaneta (; born October 29, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for voicing Homer Simpson on the animated series ''The Simpsons'' (as well as other characters on the show such as Abraham "Grampa" ...
*
Sam McMurray Sam, SAM or variants may refer to: Places * Sam, Benin * Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso * Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso * Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso * Sam, Iran * Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place People and ficti ...
*Joseph Malone *
Anna Levine Anna Thomson is an American actress known professionally as Anna Levine. She was also credited as Anna Levine Thompson and Anna Thomson. Thomson was orphaned at an early age and raised by her adoptive parents in New York City and France. She trai ...
(Season 3)


Guest stars

* Paula Abdul *
Judith Barsi Judith Eva Barsi (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an American child actress. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television series, as well as the 1987 film '' Jaws: The Revenge''. She also provided the ...
*
Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...
*
Michael Cerveris Michael Cerveris (born November 6, 1960) is an American actor, singer, and guitarist. He has performed in many stage musicals and plays, including several Stephen Sondheim musicals: ''Assassins'', ''Sweeney Todd'', '' Road Show'', and '' Passi ...
* George Clinton *
Clarence Clemons Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr. (January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011), also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death in 2011, he was the saxophonist for The E Street Band. Clemons released several ...
* Glenn Close * Tim Curry *
Fran Drescher Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom '' The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and prod ...
*
Doris Grau Doris Grau (October 12, 1924 – December 30, 1995) was an American actress and script supervisor from Brooklyn. Shortly after moving to Hollywood in 1940, she began her career with supervising film and television scripts. She continued to do th ...
* Kelsey Grammer * Matt Groening *
Marilu Henner Mary Lucy Denise Henner is an American actress. She began her career appearing in the original production of the musical '' Grease'' in 1971, before making her screen debut in the 1977 comedy-drama film '' Between the Lines''. In 1977, Henner wa ...
*
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
*
Cheech Marin :''The surname'' Marin ''is of Spanish language origin. In Spanish, it is spelled'' Marín'', with an acute accent on the'' í. Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin (born July 13, 1946) is an American actor, musician, comedian, and activist who gaine ...
*
Andrea Martin Andrea Louise Martin (born January 15, 1947) is an American-Canadian actress, singer, and comedian, best known for her work in the television series '' SCTV'' and '' Great News''. She has appeared in films such as '' Black Christmas'' (1974), '' ...
*
Kellie Martin Kellie Martin (born October 16, 1975) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Rebecca "Becca" Thatcher in '' Life Goes On'' (1989–1993), Lucy Knight on '' ER'' (1998–2000), Samantha Kinsey in the '' Mystery Woman'' TV film ser ...
* Steve Martin *
Maureen McGovern Maureen Therese McGovern (born July 27, 1949) is an American singer and Broadway actress, well known for her renditions of the songs " The Morning After" from the 1972 film '' The Poseidon Adventure''; "We May Never Love Like This Again" from ''T ...
* Frank Patterson * Matthew Perry *
Jim Piddock Jim Piddock (born April 8, 1956) is an English actor, producer and writer who began his career on the stage in the United Kingdom before emigrating to the United States in 1981. Personal life Piddock was born on April 8, 1956, in Rochester, Ke ...
*
Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he bac ...
*
Bill Pullman William Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, he was an adjunct professor at Montana State University before deciding to pursue acting. He made his film debut in ''R ...
*
Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...
*
Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...
* Isabella Rossellini *
Nick Rutherford Nicholas Rutherford (born August 7, 1985) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and co-founder of the sketch comedy group Good Neighbor. He has performed live stand up and sketch comedy in Los Angeles and New York. He was a writer for ''Saturday ...
*
Martin Short Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, and writer. He has received various awards including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. In 2019 Short became an Officer of the Order of Canada. He ...
* Steven Spielberg *
Betty Thomas Betty Thomas (born Betty Lucille Nienhauser; July 21, 1948) is an American actress, director, and producer. She is known for her Emmy Award-winning role as Sergeant Lucy Bates on the television series ''Hill Street Blues''. As of March 2018, Tho ...
* Michael Tucker


Writers

*
Jeff Baron Jeff Baron is an American novelist, playwright and screenwriter currently living in Manhattan. He is the author of ''I Represent Sean Rosen'' and ''Sean Rosen Is Not for Sale'', published by Greenwillow/HarperCollins and the ''Electro-Pup'' seri ...
* Manny Basanese *
Jerry Belson Jerry Belson (July 8, 1938 – October 10, 2006) was a writer, director, and producer of Hollywood films for over 40 years. Career Belson's writing credits include the Steven Spielberg films ''Always'' and ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'', ...
*
Tony Berg Anthony Rains "Tony" Berg (born October 21, 1954) is an American musician, record producer, and A&R representative, in which role he has been described as an "industry guru". Berg's music career began in the late 1970s as a session guitarist who ...
* Dick Blasucci * Rob Bragin * Holly Holmberg Brooks *
James L. Brooks James Lawrence Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is an American director, producer, screenwriter and co-founder of Gracie Films. His television and film work includes ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', ''Taxi'', ''The Simpsons'', '' Broadcast News'', ''As G ...
* Dan Castellaneta *
Cameron Crowe Cameron Bruce Crowe (born July 13, 1957) is an American journalist, author, writer, producer, director, actor, lyricist, and playwright. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, for wh ...
*
Ken Estin Ken Estin is an American television producer and screenwriter. He has worked on '' Taxi'' and ''Cheers'' and co-created '' The Tracey Ullman Show'' with James L. Brooks''.'' In 1982 Ken won an Emmy Award for Best Writing in a Comedy Series for th ...
*
Paul Flaherty Paul Andrew Flaherty (March 14, 1964 – March 16, 2006) was an American computer scientist. He was a renowned specialist in Internet protocols and the inventor of the AltaVista search engine. Biography Flaherty was born in Milwaukee, Wiscons ...
* Marc Flanagan *
Kim Fuller Kim Fuller (born 15 June 1951 in Hastings, England) is an English writer for film, radio and television. He is the brother of music manager and ''Idols'' series creator Simon Fuller. Career Kim Fuller has been writing for television for over 40 ye ...
* Susan Gauthier *
Howard Gewirtz Howard Gewirtz is an American television producer and writer, whose credits include ''Taxi'', ''The Larry Sanders Show'', ''Just Shoot Me'', ''Wings'', ''Oliver Beene'', ''Everybody Hates Chris'' and ''The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an ...
* Matt Groening (''The Simpsons'' shorts only) *
Paul Haggis Paul Edward Haggis (born March 10, 1953) is a Canadian screenwriter, film producer, and director of film and television. He is best known as screenwriter and producer for consecutive Best Picture Oscar winners ''Million Dollar Baby'' (2004) and ...
* Craig Heller * Susan Herring * David Isaacs * James P. Kocot *
Jay Kogen Jay Kogen is an American comedy writer, producer, actor and director. Biography He was born to a Jewish family. His father is comedy writer Arnie Kogen. In 2001, Kogen had a son, Charlie, who is now a musician. Career Kogen co-wrote several e ...
* Debra Korbel *
Deb Lacusta Deborah Lacusta (born March 15, 1958) is an American television writer and actress. Personal life Lacusta is married to ''The Simpsons'' star Dan Castellaneta (who voices Homer Simpson among many other characters). They met at an improvisationa ...
* Jane Lancellotti *
Michael Leeson Michael Jon Leeson (died July 27, 2016) was an American screenwriter. Filmography *''Love, American Style'' (1972–1973) (TV) *''All in the Family'' (1973) (TV) *''The Partridge Family'' (1973–1974) (TV) *'' The Odd Couple'' (1972–1974) ...
* Ken Levine * Joseph Malone * Harvey Miller *
Marilyn Suzanne Miller Marilyn Suzanne Miller (born January 3, 1950) is an American television writer and producer. She was one of only three female writers on the original staff of '' Saturday Night Live'' and was also a writer for such 1970s sitcoms as '' The Odd Co ...
* David Mirkin * Heidi Perlman * Ian Praiser * Lisa-Maria Radano * Michael Sardo *
Richard Sakai Richard Sakai (born January 28, 1954) is an American television and film producer. He is best known for his work on the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', for which he is one of the original producers. In 1997, Sakai was nominated for an Academy ...
* J.C. Scott * Mike Short * Guy Shulman *
Sam Simon Samuel Michael Simon (June 6, 1955 – March 8, 2015) was an American director, producer, writer, animal rights activist and philanthropist, who co-developed the television series ''The Simpsons''. While at Stanford University, Simon w ...
* Doug Steckler * Miriam Trogdon * Tracey Ullman *
Ellis Weiner Ellis Weiner (born 31 October 1950) is an author and humorist who has previously worked as an editor of '' National Lampoon'' and a columnist for ''Spy Magazine''. His humor has also appeared in ''The New Yorker '', ''Paris Review'', and ''The New ...
*
Michael J. Weithorn Michael J. Weithorn is an American writer, director, and producer whose works include the long-running sitcom ''The King of Queens''. Early life Weithorn was raised first in the Fresh Meadows neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens, ...
*
Wallace Wolodarsky Wallace Wolodarsky, also billed as Wally Wolodarsky, is an American actor, screenwriter, television producer, and film director known for being one of the writers for ''The Simpsons'' during the first four seasons with his writing partner Jay K ...


Directors

*
Ted Bessell TED may refer to: Economics and finance * TED spread between U.S. Treasuries and Eurodollar Education * ''Türk Eğitim Derneği'', the Turkish Education Association ** TED Ankara College Foundation Schools, Turkey ** Transvaal Education Depar ...
* Stuart Margolin *
Penny Marshall Carole Penny MarshallBorn Carole Penny Marshall in 1943, as per ''My Mother Was Nuts, a Memoir'', p. 10; . Copyright 2012 (October 15, 1943 – December 17, 2018) was an American actress, director and producer. She is known for her role as ...
*
Sam Simon Samuel Michael Simon (June 6, 1955 – March 8, 2015) was an American director, producer, writer, animal rights activist and philanthropist, who co-developed the television series ''The Simpsons''. While at Stanford University, Simon w ...
* Art Wolff


Episodes


Recurring characters

Over the course of four seasons, Tracey Ullman played upwards of 100 characters; some were repeated, but not on a weekly basis. The show's supporting cast also had their own characters, usually playing opposite Ullman's, but sometimes in solo sketches of their own. The following is a list of recurring characters performed by Tracey Ullman, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray. They are listed in order of appearance. ;The Downeys :Sara and Greg Downey (Ullman and Castellaneta) are two yuppies who only care for their son Max (played by
Nick Rutherford Nicholas Rutherford (born August 7, 1985) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and co-founder of the sketch comedy group Good Neighbor. He has performed live stand up and sketch comedy in Los Angeles and New York. He was a writer for ''Saturday ...
) when they absolutely have to. ;Kay Clark :Originally from England, Kay (Ullman) works in Rhode Island for a paper-products distribution company. She is constantly the target of her co-workers and her boss Mr. Le Roy's (Castellaneta) practical jokes. Kay takes care of her invalid mother, to whom she talks frequently on the phone from work. ;Dr. Alexander Gibson :A psychiatrist played by Dan Castallaneta, many of Ullman's characters are analyzed by him (e.g. Kay Clark, Brenda, Kiki Howard-Smith). ;Brenda :A neurotic and ditzy
valley girl A valley girl is a socioeconomic, linguistic, and youth subcultural stereotype and stock character originating during the 1980s: any materialistic upper-middle-class young woman, associated with unique vocal and California dialect features, fr ...
and a patient of Dr. Alexander Gibson's, she is played by Tracey Ullman. ;Francesca McDowell :A 14-year-old girl (Ullman), she is raised by her father David (Castellaneta) and his partner William (McMurray). ;Sandra Decker :A faded Oscar-winning actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood, she is played by Tracey Ullman. ;Tina and Meg :Tina (Ullman) and Meg (Kavner) are best friends and United States postal workers. ;Kiki Howard-Smith :An Australian professional golfer, she is played by Tracey Ullman. ;Ginny Tilman :Ginny (Ullman) is a bitter divorcée from Dr. Lawrence Tillman (Castellaneta), and a Beverly Hills proctologist. Lawrence goes on to remarry Meg (played by Isabella Rossellini). Ginny's sister Roz (Kavner), who is married to perpetually unenthusiastic Leonard (McMurray), cares for their mother. ;Summer Storm :A burned-out
hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
disc jockey. ;Gulliver Dark :A lounge singer played by Sam McMurray, Gulliver's fans, consisting mainly of middle-aged women, become "Dark Ladies" once they have watched him perform 1,000 times or more, and have given him gifts equal to 10% of their income. Gulliver is nicknamed "The Velvet Bulge". The character went on to appear in ''The Simpsons'', voiced by both Sam McMurray and George Balmaseda. ;Angel and Marty Tish :Angel and Marty (Ullman and Castellaneta) are a husband-and-wife duo, dubbing themselves "America's Sweethearts". ;Margaret/Hans Neeman :Psychiatrist and mentor to Dr. Alexander Gibson, she is played by Tracey Ullman. Margaret reunites with her former student, Dr. Gibson, as a patient, and admits to having been a fraud; she later returns in a second sketch after having transitioned into Hans. ;Gigi :A woman, played by Tracey Ullman, she is put through the paces no matter where she goes (e.g. a job interview where she is given 60 seconds to come up with an elaborate tap dance routine, and a therapy session where she is forced to figure out who is the therapist and who is patient). ;The Sours :Gary and Joanie Sours, a newlywed couple, are played by Sam McMurray and Tracey Ullman. ;Maria :A Hispanic maid played by Tracey Ullman. ;Ann B. Cooper :A cat lady, played by Tracey Ullman, Ann is on the McDowell's
co-op A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...
apartment's board of directors and is responsible for getting their application accepted. ;Rosaria and Big Tony Manetti :Rosaria (Ullman) and her husband, Big Tony (played by
Robert Costanzo Robert Jason Costanzo (born October 20, 1942) is an American film, television and voice actor. He has an acting career spanning over 40 years and is often found playing surly New York City types such as crooks, low-level workers and policemen, a ...
) are an Italian-American couple who live in Jersey City, who constantly argue with one another. ;Miranda Kenton :A very self-involved Hollywood actress, she is played by Tracey Ullman.


Animated segments

''The Tracey Ullman Show'' regularly featured short, animated cartoons as interstitials in the first three seasons.


''Dr. N!Godatu''

" Dr. N!Godatu" was a series of animated shorts created by M.K. Brown, and animated by Klasky-Csupo. It was seen during season one only, and was the first cartoon seen on Ullman's show. The shorts followed the somewhat surreal life of Dr. Janice N!Godatu, who calmly and cheerfully addressed the camera as she detailed her latest misadventure. The character was voiced by Julie Payne. The feature appeared in the first two ''Ullman'' episodes, then alternated more-or-less every other week with the "Simpsons" shorts (see below). After appearing six times, ''Dr. N!Godatu'' was dropped at the conclusion of the first season. Two additional "Dr. N!Godatu" cartoons that were prepared for the show never aired.


"The Simpsons"

The Simpson family debuted in short
animated cartoon Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
s on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', beginning with episode three of the first season. The shorts originally were presented on an occasional basis, alternating episodes with "Dr. N!Godatu", but the reaction to the Simpsons shorts was very positive, and after appearing seven times during season one, the feature was quickly promoted to full-time status, appearing in every episode of seasons two and three, before being spun off into a half-hour series. These shorts, also called " bumpers", aired before and after commercial breaks during the first and second seasons of the show. They eventually had their own full segments between the live-action segments during season three. Except for a repeat airing of the short "Simpson Xmas", they did not appear in the fourth and final season of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', as they had their own half-hour TV series by then. All of them were written by Matt Groening and animated at Klasky Csupo by a team of animators consisting of David Silverman, Wes Archer, and
Bill Kopp William Kopp is an American animator, writer and voice actor. Career Kopp studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts. In 1984, he won a Merit Award from the Student Academy Awards for ''Mr. Gloom''. In 1985, he won a Student Acade ...
. ''Tracey Ullman Show'' cast members Dan Castellaneta and Julie Kavner provided the voices of
Homer Simpson Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared, along with the rest of his family, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' short ...
and
Marge Simpson Marjorie Jacqueline "Marge" Simpson () is a character in the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' and part of the eponymous family. Voiced by Julie Kavner, she first appeared on television in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' short " Good Night ...
, respectively. In the beginning, the drawings appeared very crude because the animators were more or less just tracing over Groening's storyboards, but as the series developed, so did the designs and layouts of the characters and the "Simpsons drawing style" was ultimately conceived. This style evolved even more throughout the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons'', and was used more than a decade later on '' Futurama'', another animated series created by Groening.


Reception


Critical

While the show was a critical darling, it was never a ratings juggernaut; although none of the early newly launched primetime Fox network shows generated a significant return (Fox did not crack the top 30 in the Nielsen ratings until 1990 with ''The Simpsons''). On the show's ratings, Fox president Jamie Kellner was quoted in 1988 as saying, "We're too new new to be discouraged by ratings ..It's true that it's harder to discover Tracey on Fox than on NBC." As critic Howard Rosenberg of '' The Los Angeles Times'' and '' The Washington Post'' pointed out, though, it was probably easier for her to survive, as the show she was producing was probably too "rule-bending" for NBC to be interested in, in the first place. The show faced practical obstacles reaching viewers, one of which was the network broadcasting via UHF signal in many areas. Ullman was personally critical of Fox messing with the show's timeslot, something network chairman Barry Diller later conceded. "I think there was real anger about the shifting time a lot, and that it was legitimate. Networks do many things that are not necessarily in the interests of a particular show, and those things are not always smart. We had a very large audience for a very special show-but it wasn't large enough. Certain things take time. As the world speeds up, the rhythm of this show will become consistent with the rhythm of the audience. But it might take 10 years. I think the 80-something shows they did will be like ''The Honeymooners''. I don't know when. But it's going to be pure, driven gold. We expect to get every nickel back. Plus, plus, plus." "It should've been on Sunday night. I think a great lineup would've been ''The Simpsons'' followed by Tracey, on Sunday night.", said Matt Groening in 1991. Despite its issues in the ratings, the show retained a devoted fan base and became a cult hit up until the end. It also helped the Fox network gain credibility within the industry. ''Married... with Children'', the series that launched the same night as the ''Ullman'' show, was mired in controversy and soon became branded low-brow humor.


Accolades

The show won a total of 10
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime E ...
including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program in 1989 and 1990, and Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program in 1990. Also in 1989, choreographer Paula Abdul won the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography. With the exception of 2013, the award is given at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony. Starting in 2019, separate awards are given for scripted programs and ...
for her work on the show.


Distribution


International

When ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' first appeared in Ullman's native England, the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
decided to cut six minutes from the show, specifically the Simpsons shorts. "The BBC said the only thing they didn't like about the show was those weird little animated characters and suggested maybe they could get rid of them because they would never catch on," recalled Ullman. Despite their aversion to the cartoon shorts, she attempted to convince the broadcaster to buy the rights to ''The Simpsons'' television series, telling them it would be a mistake not to;
Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...
ended up buying the show. ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' aired on
BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream a ...
in the UK, Network 10 in Australia and
TVNZ , type = Crown entity , industry = Broadcast television , num_locations = New Zealand , location = Auckland, New Zealand , area_served = Nationally (New Zealand) and some Pacific Island nations such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, and the Sol ...
in New Zealand.


Syndication

Reruns of the show appeared on
Lifetime Lifetime may refer to: * Life expectancy, the length of time a person is expected to remain alive Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Lifetime (band), a rock band from New Jersey * ''Life Time'' (Rollins Band album), by Rollins Band * ...
and
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programmin ...
throughout the 1990s in the United States.


Home media

, ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' has never been commercially released through any home media platform. In 2017, in an interview, Tracey Ullman theorized that music clearance issues may be the reason for this. A selection of the Simpsons shorts was released from 1997 through 1999 on ''The Simpsons'' VHS home video releases. The sketch "Due Dilligence" featuring actor-comedian
Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...
was released as an extra on ''The Incredible Mel Brooks: An Irresistible Collection of Unhinged Comedy'' in 2012.


Notes


References


Further reading

* * *


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tracey Ullman Show, The 1987 American television series debuts 1990 American television series endings 1980s American sketch comedy television series 1980s American variety television series 1990s American sketch comedy television series 1990s American variety television series 1980s American LGBT-related comedy television series 1990s American LGBT-related comedy television series American television series with live action and animation English-language television shows Fox Broadcasting Company original programming Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series winners Television series by 20th Century Fox Television Television series by Gracie Films The Simpsons Tracey Ullman